Montana Public Radio Concludes 2019 Spring Pledge Week

April 19, 2019

MISSOULA – Montana Public Radio ended its annual spring fundraiser with nearly $500,000 in listener pledges. Live music, listener challenges, special programs and hundreds of phone volunteers were highlights during the week.

At the end of the pledge drive on Sunday, the tally reached $497,413, concluding an eight-day event that raised nearly 81% of the $610,000 goal. There were a total of 3,539 listener pledges during the on-air fundraiser, which ran April 7-14.

“We are grateful to all of the listeners who showed their love and made donations to Montana Public Radio this spring,” said Ray Ekness, director of the University of Montana Broadcast Media Center. “The spring pledge week is the first major fundraising effort for our 2019 budget. It is a concern not to have made it closer to the goal.”

The drive concluded with the popular “Pet Wars,” where cats returned to the top by outnumbering dogs 815 to 753. The pet competition also included many pledges for chickens, horses, goats, rodents and more.

Listeners donated thousands of gifts to entice listeners to donate to the station. “We want to thank all of the folks who donated thank you gifts and came in to answer the phones during our pledge drive,” fundraising Director Linda Talbott said.

“We are very thankful to all of our listeners,” said Michael Marsolek, MTPR program director. “We’re proud of our Montana program hosts and the outstanding programming that the pledges help support.”

“I’m so proud of the community effort of everyone that participated in this fun and rewarding week,” said MTPR Director of Membership Anne Hosler. “While we didn’t make our goal, we will implement strategies to make up the revenue needed, and we are confident our listener-members will continue to contribute.”

MTPR needs to raise more than $1.9 million – 75 percent of the station’s total operating budget –from listeners, sponsors and events during its fundraising year. Listeners can continue to contribute online or via the mail if they missed making their pledge of support last week.